Friday, 14 March 2008

A successful coach, facilitator and empowerment advocate, Nicole Graham originally hails from Australia but is now living in Hong Kong. Nicole is a qualified Adult Educator, Certified Soul Coach, Certified Past Life Coach, Goddess Facilitator and Reiki Master.

Her businesses, The Modern Goddess has evolved over time and evolved out of a passion to help women become empowered and inspired.

Nicole has co-written a guided journal and co-recorded the companion guided meditation CD, Journal for the Modern Goddess, with Gold Coast-based artist, Tara Spicer. Their business together is Journals for Empowerment.

What was the inspiration behind the Journal for the Modern Goddess?

Tara and I both have a passion to help women become empowered and inspired. For Tara she is doing this through her paintings and for me it is through my workshops and coaching.

As we bounced our ideas around, the more inspired we became and over a 6 month period we found we had created a beautiful journal we wanted to share with the world. Our passions fed each other’s passion.

Is it reflective of your own spiritual journey?

I look back over my life and am so grateful for the experiences that I have because I know that they have gotten me to where I am today. There have been a lot of changes in my life over the past 10 years and I’m now feeling that I’m in a really great space. I’m settled, I’ve been through the changes I have needed to go through and now I’m living my dreams.

I’m a person who reflects back over time and I can now see that birthing this journal has allowed me to really plant my feet on the ground and say, yes... all it good, all is just how it is meant to be, and I’m so grateful for this journey. Yes, it is a reflection of my own spiritual journey.

What is the purpose of the journal?

The purpose of the journal is to help women discover the beauty that they hold within them. It is encouraging them to uncover the beautiful, unique and powerful Goddess that they really are. Women are amazing and too often they forget how amazing they are. This journal helps them to remember.

What makes this journal unique?

It is a combination of things. The beautiful imagery, the specifically tailored sections for ‘self empowerment’ through guided self study, and the companion guided meditation CD. The journal takes its owner on a magical journey to find their own personal power.

What’s your favourite part?

It is hard to pick my favourite part because every time I look through the journal I am in awe of its beauty and I know I’m a little biased because as one of the co-creators, how can I not love what we’ve produced. However, having to pick a favourite part, I love the guided meditation CD. I remember being so nervous about recording the meditations and felt sick but when

How did you choose the imagery used in the journal?

It was an interesting journey because we originally were looking at Tara’s existing paintings and then at some point we both realised that the journal needed a goddess of its own, one that really represented the journal’s purpose.

Our goddess was created specifically for the journal. I asked Tara how she came to paint the image and this is what she said:

"This image is an image that, from my heart, honours the great Goddess within every woman. Three years ago, I gave birth to my daughter and it was a very powerful event that took more than I thought I could possibly give of myself. The following day (and every day since) I have had an overwhelming realisation of just how amazing every single woman is and how powerful she is, what she can give and what she can accomplish.

"I have been disappointed in how this incredible strength and light is never really honoured and recognised in our day to day lives and I really wanted to create something that made celebration of every woman’s inner Goddess a part of our daily lives. This painting is a reminder to every woman to spend a little time each day, to go within, discover and connect with the Modern Goddess that they are despite the great many distractions and demands that day to day living presents"

Why combine meditation with journaling?

Journaling is a powerful tool for self-discovery and so is meditation therefore combining the two felt very natural. We feel that the meditation CD compliments the guided writing sections, and at the same time has power of its own. Meditation can help you delve deeper, and to really listen to your intuition, your inner self. Combine that with writing and it allows you to really explore your own journey.

So, who should be using the journal?

Women who want to connect with their higher self, their inner power, their inner goddess. Women who want to explore their thoughts and feelings to help them understand who they are and where they want to head in life. You do not need to be journaling frequently because it has been created to write in it when you feel like it and in the section that is relevant to what is going on in your life at that moment.

Do you have any special offers for those reading this interview?

Yes! We are currently on our Virtual Book Tour promoting our Journal for the Modern Goddess. Followers of the tour can enter our competition to win a Meditation Kit consisting of a ‘How to Guide’ to Meditation, a pack of incense sticks, gratitude /meditation beads, 5 Goddess affirmation cards, an amethyst gemstone (the stone of meditation). To read more, visit our competitions page.

So what are you planning next?

We are currently working on our ‘Journal for the Pregnant Goddess’ and she is coming along beautifully. This time you’ll see more of Tara’s gorgeous artwork not just with one image but with a series of images.

Michelle, thanks for interviewing me and being one of our hosts for our virtual book tour.

Nicole Graham and Tara Spicer are currently on a virtual book tour promoting their recently released writing journal, Journal for the Modern Goddess.

About the Journal for the Modern Goddess:

This beautiful hard covered, spiral bound writing journal helps women uncover the beautiful, unique and powerful Goddess that they really are.The journal features 6 coloured inserts with inspirational quotes, guided questions, affirmations and 204 lined pages for journaling. The coloured inserts divides the journal into sections - Gratitude and Happiness; Moving Forward; Dreams and Visions; Journal Pages; Guided Meditation; and Sanctuaries and Sisterhood.The companion guided meditation CD features 3 tracks that provide women with sacred journeys that inspire and encourage them to create positive life patterns. These tracks help them to recognise and invite magic, inspiration and loving energy into their lives.

The journal retails for $34.95 AUD including GST.

To view or purchase the journal, please visit Nicole and Tara’s website, Journals for Empowerment. Please click on the banner visit:

On Monday we head over to Rainbow Dreams, the official blog for Goddess Fire. We are moving into our last week of our virtual book tour so please visit us at http://virtualcircle.blogspot.com/

About Me

I am committed to bringing balance and depth to my life. I believe everyone deserves to live deeply satisfying lives that are fun, enriching, creative and full of abundance.
I am working to help women to rediscover the Sacred Feminine within -- their inner goddess. I believe it’s what I was born to do and love every minute of it.
With a diverse background that spans the corporate world, massage, aromatherapy and chakradance, I am committed to my ever unfolding evolution so that I may live my life according to the wisdom of the Divine Feminine.
I am grateful for the opportunity to find my own way in the world and share my passion with others whose intent is to reach similar goals.